


Spooky scary little skeletons

by Agafikuz



Series: A new one from Shantytown [4]
Category: Coco (2017)
Genre: Dangerous place, Gen, Hector has problems, Old memories, Paparazzi, Parenthood, angry adult skeletons, gossips, little skeletons, memories about death, old friends from Shantytown, social work, stubborn teenagers, the old ghosts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-06-28 08:53:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19808917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Agafikuz/pseuds/Agafikuz
Summary: Children always need an extra-care. This Sunday Tia Victoria was supposed to take care of the little skeletons who lived in the neighborhood. But she was ill, and Hector volunteered to replace his granddaughter. A nice Sunday afternoon in a beautiful place in a company of the children from the welfare families. Nothing would go wrong! Or it would?...





	1. Surprise for Imelda

**Author's Note:**

> This work is rather long, so I divided it in chapters again. I am living in a countryhouse now. A very good place to write, but not to upload(( So maybe some chapters` uploas will take longer ;)

Rosita was standing by a stove as Hector entered. Noticing two large rolls in his hands, she asked:

“Have you bought something, Hector? Can I see it?...”

She interrupted herself and starred back at the pans. She forgot to say “Papa” again.

However, it seemed Hector didn`t even noticed it. He just smiled mysteriously and said:

“You`ll see it, Rosita. Pero wait a little bit. It must to be a surprise”.

With these words he passed through the kitchen and went toward the Zapateria.

Closing the door behind himself, Hector looked around. Only Rosita and he were at home at this moment. Another Riveras went away for a business meeting, but should be back in no time. That meant, he should not lose time.

Hector`s task was to clean the Zapateria up. It was done, but one very important thing was lacking. The young skeleton walked slowly through the Zapateria. Somewhere he already saw these… Yes, here they were!... Two deep plastic vases stood under a table. Maybe not very beautiful, but for the first time it would be enough. By the way, who would care about a vase, when there are so splendid flowers in it?

Dante trotted to a counter where his master left the rolls with lilies, sniffed and tried to chew them.

“Dante! Stop that!”

Careful Hector unwrapped the newspapers that were used as the wrappings for the lilies. Imelda always liked flowers, especially these. He recalled the shining in her eyes every time he brought her a bouquet. As she was a young girl, she dreamt about an own little flower garden. Strangely, but there were no flowers in the dead Riveras` house. Now the young Imelda`s spouse was going to improve this.

Unintentionally he glanced at the newspaper’s highline.

There was his own photo. On it the young skeleton stood by the pulpit, with a very stupid expression on his face. _The victim acquitted his murder_ , declared the highline, _HR vs DLC: mercy or some old feelings?_ Lower, under the text were two other photos. On the first one, he saw Imelda who looked like she was going to kill somebody in a very cruel way. On the second one was Ernesto`s face in close shot. This face expressed total suffering. Apparently, the paparazzi caught the moment when the guard-toad bit him.

Hector pursed his lips and crumpled vexed the newspaper. Those clingy paparazzi left him and his family alone not long ago. Only after tired and angry Imelda set Pepita on them. Although Hector didn`t think it was the best decision. The paparazzi could write the entire report-series about Hector Rivera`s “cruel wife”. However, as he shared his fears with Imelda, she smiled quietly and said: “ _Hector, mi corazon, believe me, if I had ever cared about the things people thinking about me, I had never become what I am and never started my own business_ ”.

….Hector just finished to decorate the Zapateria with lilies as he heard the sound of the steps behind the front door. Hector recognized them immediately.

Hastily the young skeleton took three remaining lilies, stood in the middle of the room, and commanded Dante to sit beside him. Meanwhile the skeleton hand turned a key in a door lock.

Imelda, wearing a wide hat and a mantlet, stepped into her Zapateria. Hector smiled. Dante barked friendly. The lilies` smell was everywhere. She stood still, looking at the flowers with surprise.

“Surprise!” cried Hector at loud and held out three lilies, “By the way, this is for you”.

“Ah, Hector…”

Hector didn`t see happiness in his wife`s eyes. Were the flowers in her house so unusual for her?

“Hector”, said Imelda looking very confused and… frightened, “No, no! We should put them all away immediately!”

Hector was chocked.

“Por qué?” he asked feeling himself a little bit insulted.

Before Imelda could answer, they heard Victoria`s and twins` voices from outside.

“Dios mio!” exclaimed Imelda and rushed toward the doorway, “Victoria, mijita, no enter here!”

Too late. Tia Victoria stepped already into the Zapateria.

“Nice smell”, she said wiping her glasses, “Which cleanser did you use, Pa…?… ahchoo! Wha?…ahchoo!”

***

Riveras surrounded Tia Victoria`s bed. In the evening, her sneezing became better, but she still had the problems with running eyes.

“Victoria, I… Lo siento mucho! I just couldn`t imagine you have an allergy!”

Hector felt himself very embarrassed.

“Don`t blame yourself so hard. You really couldn`t know this”, comforted him Rosita, while Julio and Tio Oskar nodded agreed.

“You could ask first, anyway”, added Tio Felipe.

Imelda said nothing to this. She didn`t look angry, but it was evidently, that what has happened made her feel upset. For Hector it was very painful. First time he wanted to make her feel good – and such failure. And he could blame nobody for that but himself.

“Ah, don`t be worry… ahchoo!... In two days I will be all right”, said Victoria and blew her non-existent nose loudly.

“I think, Victoria needs her rest”, stated Imelda looking all her family members around, “We go away”

Almost everybody left the room. Standing in the doorway Julio turned to his daughter:

“If you need something, mijita, call us immediately… Hector? Do you go?”

It seemed Hector wasn`t about to join the other.

“Honestly, I wanted…”

Hector hesitated, and then continued addressing to his granddaughter:

“May I stay with you for a while, Victoria?”

Instead of answer, Victoria sneezed. However, with a move of her shoulders she showed she had nothing against his wish.

They stayed alone. Hector sat down in the armchair beside the bed.

“How are you feeling, Victoria?”

“Better than before, Hector”

Her skull lied on the large pillow. The afterlife marks on her cheek-bones and forehead were changing their colors constantly. During his life in Shantytown Hector often saw the similar symptoms on the faces of the sick skeletons. In those times it seemed normal for Hector. He also used to have the symptoms by himself. And it used to be very uncomfortable, because the marks itched.

“Victoria, don`t scratch your marks!” warned Hector, “If you do, they`ll become worse”.

“Muchas gracias”, Victoria smiled weakly, “I know it. I am not a little girl, at all… Oh! Dios mio!”

Suddenly Victoria rose up and clasped her skull in horror.

“Victoria, what`s wrong?” asked Hector frightened.

He rubbed her shoulder.

“Does something ache?”

“No… ahchoo!... I have almost forgotten!... Ah… ahchoo!...”

Victoria`s frustration was so hard, that she began to sneeze again.

“Victoria, por favor, calm down. Tell me, what have you forgotten? Puede ser, I can help you”

Victoria glanced at her young drandfather.

“I don`t sure you can help with it, He… Papa Hector… Tomorrow I have a very important work”

“Work? Tomorrow? Pero tomorrow is Sunday, the Zapateria is closed, isn`t it?”

“It is not about the Zapateria. It is about social work. Every Sunday the Council of San-Chimilco choose somebody who does it. This time they fixed their choice upon me”

Hector still waited for explanation. Victoria sighed and said:

“There are some children and teenagers here. They need an extra-care and extra-a… _ahchoo!_..ttention. The Council created Sunday club for them. An adult skeleton comes to these niños and spends the entire day with them”

Unexpected for her Hector cried out joyful and even clapped his hands.

“Ah, that what you mean, Victoria? The children! Está tranquila, then! I`ll come to them”

“Wait-wait, Hector!”

Her grandfather`s enthusiasm didn`t encourage Victoria too much.

“No comprendes, Papa Hector. These children are special. They died in such young age and supposed to stay like this forever. The work with them is up only to the adult experienced skeletons…”

Hector frowned and rose his skull proudly.

“So, Victoria, do you think I`m not adult and experienced enough?”

“No, pero…”

“I`m the eldest skeleton in our family, to your information! After Imelda, of course…”

It was spoken in so serious manner. Victoria could not contain herself and burst out laughing.

“What`s funny?” asked Hector quietly and seriously.

“See, señor ‘The Eldest Skeleton in Our Family’, it is not about some kind of experience. You will need the special experience. Because the children are special…. And you even don`t know them”

Victoria made an emphasis on her last phrase. The skeleton woman _did_ know these children in contrast to Hector.

“Well, I already know a couple of girls, Erica and Felicity. They seemed nice to me”. Hector shook his shoulders careless.

“By the way, I spent the most part of my life among the skeletons from Shantytown. Not all from them were too friendly. You think I cannot find the common language with the children after all of those?”

Victoria hesitated. She still had doubts. However, it seemed she really had no choice.


	2. Sunday club

That Sunday morning was fresh and sunny. Hector went along the streets admiring the old colonial buildings. He hadn`t much opportunities to walk here before. Everything here was buried in verdure. Somewhere the houses were completely hidden behind the blooming trees. It seemed to be very easy to lose the way among them all. Because of this Hector preferred to go along the main street, although that way took him longer.

The respectable skeletons on his way looked suspiciously at his trunk on the wheels. It constantly jumped and made a lot of noise. Hector found the thing in the attic of Riveras` house. Like another stuff that he put into the trunk.

It turned out that the choosing things useful for the entire day with children was one of the most difficult works. Victoria said that she often told the little skeletons about the features of her own work. Hector wasn`t very good in the shoe-making. He could play music for them, however. At first, the young skeleton found the idea great. Before he realized one small unimportant detail – it was _no_ music instruments in Riveras` house. The sad consequences of the old music ban. Beside this, he wasn`t sure all of the children loved music as much as he did.

Finally, Hector decided to take with him: a sport ball (very multifunctional thing), a skipping rope (also multifunctional), a boomerang (it could be very amusing), the pencils with an album (what if the girls wouldn`t like to play with sport stuff?), a few piles of color paper (the developing of creativity is always perfect thing!), a cart-pack (children always like these things when the adults don`t see it), and another stuff that he found in the Riveras` attic and found potential useful. Besides a lot of space took the food that Tia Rosita gave to him. “ _The food is so unhealthy in the nearest cafes, Hector. Don`t go there with the ni_ _ños_ ”.

On his way Hector was viewing curiously cafes on the main street and couldn`t understand why Rosita spoke so negative about them. They all looked so nice and comfortable. With sign, Hector remembered the long cold winter nights in Shantytown, his own unsupportable starving stomachache, and Chich, frying a couple of tiny skeleton fish on the dirty old pan.

Dante barked cheerful. They reached finally the park where the little skeletons were certainly already waiting for their Sunday leader.

Next to the park was situated a rich luxurious villa. Looking on it, Hector remembered him and Ernesto in their childhood dreaming about living in a house like this.

At that moment, Hector heard a clatter of hooves. The skeleton girl was riding her horse-alebrije. Hector recognized the little rider immediately.

“Hola, Erica!”

“Hola, Hector!” Erica waved to him, “Do you come to the Sunday club too?”

“Ah, si. Pero I don`t know exactly the place where you all meet usually. Can you show me?”

“F-r-r”, sighed the girl and jumped down reluctantly. “Okay, come with me”.

Erica held her alebrije by the bridle, Hector walked next to her. Entering the park they found themselves surrounded by the flower smell and the bird singing. Almost like paradise. Although, the girl`s expression was cheerless.

“What`s wrong, Erica? You don`t look too happy”

“Na”, drawled Erica, “Don`t care about it. Honestly, I didn`t want to come this time”

“Verdad? Pero por qué?”

Dante was running in front of them. With his tongue out, the dog barked friendly to the horse. But it just shook its mane arrogantly.

“Because all these club session are stupid and super-boring”, sniffed the skeleton girl, “Last time the leader was tellng us about the work in an accounting department. And before last time another leader showed us how to make a perfect make-up. Well, Felicity and Ramona liked it, but not me…”

“Girls only?” asked Hector.

“No, of course. Pero Teo and Guillermo usually run away. At home they say that they go to the club. Actually, they have their secret place. We asked them to take us too, pero they didn`t want to invite the girls”

Erica made a resentful pause and continued in gloating tone: “Well, yesterday Ramona blabbed out that they sneaked out. Today they must come. Let them suffer from boring too!”

Hearing this Hector couldn`t believe his invisible ears. Not like this he imagined the children`s Sunday club.

“By the way, why do you want to visit this stupid club session?” asked Erica, “And what you need this trunk for?”

Before Hector could answer, Dante finally decided that the horse shouldn`t ignore him anymore. The dog jumped trying to lick its nose. The horse pranced. Erica began to calm her alebrije down. Hector grabbed Dante.

Unfortunately, exactly in that moment they went downhill. The miserable trunk, at begin slowly, and then faster and faster rolled down. Few seconds later, it rolled into the stone and overturned with loud crack.

“Damn it!” exclaimed Hector.

Almost all contents of the trunk lied on the grass. Around it crowded the young skeletons. Felicity stood aside with a boy of Miguel`s age. A little girl and a young boy 16 or 17 years old were bending over the trunk.

“Strange”, said the elder boy imperturbably, “I thought today we meet a shoe-maker, not a junkman”.

Scornfully he touched the skipper rope with his leg.

“Lo siento!” cried Hector coming to his trunk as quickly as he could. “I hope it didn`t hit anybody from you”.

The children looked at him with surprise. (Except the little girl who was still busy with the stuff from the trunk.)

“Hey, who are you?” asked the elder boy, “Did you come with Victoria Rivera?”

“Not at all”, explained Hector, “Victoria is sick. For this Sunday I`ll take her place”.

The boy was going to ask something else, but Erica interrupted him:

“Oho! Does it mean _you_ are our leader today?”

The boy was evidently unpleased to be interrupted: “Wait! A new leader? We even don`t know you!”

His expression wasn`t friendly, but that fact didn`t confuse Hector too much.

“Well, this is true. We can improve it. My name is Hector”

The young skeleton lent his hand for the boy. However the last one didn`t shake the hand back.

“Teo, I know him!” said Felicity, “He is the spouse of señora Imelda Rivera”.

“Ah, so?”

The younger boy shook Hector`s hand instead Teo.

“My name is Guillermo. This is Teo”, Guillermo nodded at his friend who pursed his lips and folded his hands. “This is Ramona”. The little girl rose her skull and looked curiously at the new leader.

“Happy to know you”

Well, the things looked not so bad. Except Teo still watched him rather hostile.

“Señor Rivera…”

“No, chamaco! Call me Hector”.

“Ok, Hector, tell me por favor…. Is it truth? I mean the things they write about you in the newspapers. About you and de la Cruz”.

Guillermo and other children became silent waiting for the answer. Hector felt an irritation. In his mind, he saw again those stupid photos from the newspaper.

“Lo siento, pero, honestly, I don`t read those newspapers”

“Verdad?” Felicity had a blank look, “Por qué? Don`t you like their interpretation?”

“Truly I wrapped them up as I saw my own photo. I looked terrible on it”.

Felicity smiled, but other didn`t appreciated his humor.

“If I were you, I would read it”, noticed Teo coldly, “For example, they wrote that you left your family, because old señora Rivera had hit you. And that she still makes it”

It sounded like a bolt from the blue. Hector remembered Imelda with the morning newspaper by the breakfast table. She used to read it every day. One day she became very gloomy after the reading. That time Hector didn`t attribute her mood`s change with the newspaper. Could it be the cause?..

Hector`s choked expression encouraged Teo to continue: “Besides, there was an interview with your former colleague. Gustavo was his name, if I am not mistaken. He told that you and de la Cruz were more than just two musicians who played a duet”.

Hector recalled the day Imelda returned home after a business meeting. She looked preoccupied and distressing. When Hector asked her about the meeting, she answered: “ _Everything is all right with our business, Hector. Some skeletons simply like to ask stupid irrelevant questions. Forget it_!”

Imelda refused to explain what meant those “stupid irrelevant” questions.

“The journalists also found a witness who said..”, began Teo again.

“Enough, chamaco!” said Hector resolute, “I`m not going to discuss all this delirio. Some idiots wrote it to sell more their yellow press”.

“Do you guess they had no reasons to publish this delirio?” asked Teo defiantly.

“Of course, they had! The famous Ernesto de la Cruz got entangled in it. People always like to read the dirty details from the famous persons` life…or afterlife. No matter, if it`s true or not”

“So, you don`t like your own fame, Hector, do you?” Teo said the last phrase almost with anger.

Who knows how this conversation could be finished, but at that moment, Ramona exclaimed:

“Look! Look! What I found in the trunk!”

The little girl happily jumped holding in her hand a tiny plastic cat all in the paillettes. Hector had found this toy in the attic accidently and had hesitated if it worth to put this in the trunk or not.

“Hector, can I had it? Por favor?”

Ramona looked at the leader with pleading eyes. She was about the same age as Coco as Hector saw his daughter for the last time. He forget immediately all his irritation.

“Ramona, begging is impolite!” warned Felicity.

Hector squatted down beside Ramona.

“I have the entire collection of them,” explained the little girl confused, “My relatives put these figures on the ofrenda for me. Pero twenty years ago they stopped. The kitten is only one that missed. Hector, por favor!”

“Of course, Ramona, take it!” smiled Hector rubbing her hair, “What else for I brought all these stuff?”

The girl`s eyes shined with happiness. The other children exchanged the glances unsure.

“We supposed to play with this?” asked Erica taking a shuttlecock.

Guillermo reached his hand to the trunk too, but Teo pushed his friend away.

“Lo siento, pero I see you do not understand”, said Teo severe, “We are here not to play and to have fun! It is Sunday club and…”

“Why not?” interrupted Hector ( _yes, the things wouldn`t be very easy with this stubborn chamaco_ ), “What else shall we do in the sunny weekend-day being in such nice place? Puede ser it would be nicer to complain, to suffer and to discuss the perishable nature of the human world?”

Hector`s second try to joke had got ambiguous feedback again. While Erica burst into the laugh, Teo clenched his teeth and fists and suddenly ran away.

“Teo! Wait!”

If he said something wrong? Hector was ready to run after the boy, but Guillermo caught him by the hand.

“Everything all right, Hector. Sometimes Teo has emotional attacks. It aren`t too long. Me and Felicity will make him back”.

With these words, Guillermo and Felicity went in the direction where Teo left. At this moment Ramona tugged Hector`s suspender.

“Hector, have we something for eat?”

Teo was sitting behind the large rhododendron. He hid his face between his knees.

“Teo, calm down! He wasn`t mean to hurt you”, said Felicity tenderly.

“Estas segura?” Teo lifted up his skull and smirked, “Haven`t you see, this stupid snotty ragamuffin is going to order us what to do. Is it normal?”

“Puede ser, he is not going…” began Guillermo, but didn`t bear Teo`s cold look and dropped his skull down.

Teo pointed his skeleton finger at the things happening behind the rhododendron. Hector was busy with taking away the lunch-box from Dante. Erica tried to help and Ramona laughed.

“Initially, the old boring skeletons and now young Hector “Ragamuffin” Rivera? This will lead to nothing good. Believe mis palabras”, said Teo seriously.

“Pero, Teo…”

“Do you doubt my experience, Guillermo? I am the way older than you both are! This new leader boy has to learn his lesson!”

“Pero what we can do? If Hector is here, it means, the Council accepted him…”

“Then the Council must understand they made a big mistake. For example…”

Teo became thoughtful for a short time, than his face lit up.

“For example, they should see, Hector Rivera failed to keep an eye on us”.

“Ah, Teo, common!” intervened Felicity, “Hector seems to be a nice person. Erica and Ramona like him…”

“Mi carina Felicity”, said Teo resolute, “If you live as long as me, you will see how all those nice persons come out with their true colors”.

“Pero Erica….”

“I will show the secret place to all of you. Erica will not resist. And you, Felicity… I believe you don`t want to lose contact with our gang?”


	3. The nice night to die

Few minutes later Hector joined the teengers. In his hands he held the crumpled lunch box.

“Hey, amigos, what are you doing here for so long? I`m already began to worry. Want some?”

The leader offered them the box with cookies. Guillermo reached his hand to take one. Teo frowned. But then he took one too.

“Gracias, Hector, and… I want to apologize. Sometimes I behave myself like a dolt”.

“You shouldn`t apologize”, Hector assured him, “I understand, it could be hard to find the common points with an unknown skeleton. Pero creo que we can make it soon”.

“You are right, we can”, agreed Teo chewing the second cookie, “Do you like hide-and-seek? Tia Victoria often plays this game with us”.

Guillermo open his mouth, but stopped himself in time. They dealt that they would agree with everything what Teo saying.

“Does she?” Hector hesitated for a while.

Erica and Ramona were already here too. The little girl hugged the dog that licked her.

“Hm, why not? Who leads?” said Hector.

Felicity sighed. She looked like she was about to cry.

“Felicity, is everything all right?” asked Hector worried.

“Ah, don`t mind!” smiled Guillermo, “Last time we played, she lost constantly. Besides, you`re our leader. That means you`re the first who leads”.

Teo nodded. Hector looked at Felicity again. The girl told nothing. Then she nodded too. Maybe he shouldn`t be so suspicious? He was new for the children, after all. Why should they think about him like about their friend?

“Well, then I count till…”

“50!” prompted Teo.

Hector turned his back to them and began to count. He heard the skeleton legs moved away. Some whispers. Leaves` rustling. Then silence.

When Hector turned again, nobody was here except Dante and Erica`s horse that peacefully ate the rest of the lunch up.

Five minutes of searching gave the miserable leader nothing. As if the teenager skeletons vanished into thin air. The understanding came to Hector quickly.

“Ah so?” he muttered folding his hands, “Do you believe it is so easy to get rid of me, muchachos? We will see…Dante, track!”

Nevertheless the playing with Dante in the patio wasn`t useless. With his nose down, the dog ran through the verdure. Hector followed.

Very soon they came to the tall hedge, that looked like a green wall. There was no sign of any gate or something similar. Before Hector could think that Dante lost the track, the dog barked and began to dig under the hedge. As Hector reached his alebrije, he finally noticed something. A hole at the hedge`s foundation. Few broken twigs hid it. The hole wasn`t too large, but large enough for a thin young skeleton to pass through.

Crawling out by another side of the hedge Hector saw the old partly demolished stone stairs, which led down. Walking down, the young skeleton was looking around very attentive. Finally, he stood among old hangars. He saw forward and noticed an old railway track. The place was familiar to him.

The memories he wanted to forget, but couldn`t… More than 90 years ago…

***

…He still felt a spasm into his stomach. He was laying with his face on the ground. Breathing hard, Hector lifted himself up and sat on his knees. He smelt a locomotive`s smoke. Was it too late? Has the train run away without him?

Somebody took Hector by his hand and helped him to stand up.

“Ernesto”, said Hector hoarsely, “I really don`t understand what`s wrong with me… Lo siento mucho… The next train arrives morning.…”

The voice answered him (and it didn`t belong to Ernesto): “Calm down, chamaco! We will help you”

Hector looked around. A few men surrounded him. They stood in the dark, so the musician couldn`t see their faces.

Hector was still not far from the station. The same hangars, the same utility structures. His suitcase lied open on the pavement. The same place at first sight.

However, something was wrong. It was a lantern over Hector`s head. He didn`t remember this lantern.

One of the men got closer to the musician. In the light of the lantern Hector saw the man`s sleeve. It looked like a uniform. But… this kind of uniform wasn`t in use since the last century.

“Hey, amigo, you are trembling! Are you cold? Come with us! You shouldn`t stay alone here”

The hands in the uniform gave him his suitcase. Instinctively Hector took it and held tight.

“W-wait!” protested Hector (he had a strange feeling that he couldn`t describe at that moment), “I`m not alone. My friend is with me”

The men from the dark exchanged glances. Then, one of them asked: “Verdad? How old is he?”

“Almost the same age as me. A little bit older. Did you see him?”

“Honestly no. Pero this information is important. Gracias, amigo”.

“Another young boy in the near?” asked the second man.

“Puede ser he died in another place”, assumed the third one.

“Qué?!”

Ernesto is dead?! What kind a nonsense!

“What are you talking about?! Who are you, for God`s sake?!”

“Don`t be afraid, chamaco…”

The wind swung the lantern. The light felt on the man`s face. And it wasn`t a face. It was a skull with two living eyes.

The monster reached his skeleton hand to Hector`s shoulder.

“You better come with us”

For a second Hector stood still. Then he swung his two arms and stuck the uniform skeleton with the suitcase. The washing felt on the pavement. The skeleton tried to put away the suitcase from his skull. Other skeletons rushed to help him.

The fuss allowed Hector to throw himself on the run. As fast as never before. He turned the corner and ran into a short skeleton who brought an armful of flowers.

“You damn fool!” roared the skeleton.

With the eyes full of fear Hector hurried to leave the angry skeleton behind. After a few meters, the musician found himself on the train station. It was full of people. But wait… They were skeletons in the old-fashioned clothes.

Hector stopped and looked around. He felt himself going insane. Skeletons have already noticed him. They cried and pointed their bone fingers at him.

“The living human! The living human!”

They were everywhere. Some of them tried to touch him. Plucking up his courage, Hector pushed away the scary bone hands and run again. He nearly bumped in a marigold flower kiosk.

What had happened? It couldn`t be for real! Of course, it wasn`t. It was the terrible dream, because he ate something. He should listen to Ernesto. Those chorizos were stale.

Hector slipped in a back street and pressed himself on a house`s wall. Three uniformed skeletons passed by him.

“Where that nimble chamaco could be?” asked one of them.

“Creo que he didn`t run in Shantytown`s direction”, said the other one.

Trying to be soundless, Hector went as quick as he could. A colorful animal with two wings crossed his way. Stumbling over it the poor musician fell down. He felt a sharp pain in his leg.

Hector rose up his head and saw the colorful animals. They flied, run, sat on the ledges. A bright starry sky was above him.

Hector tried to stand up, but his leg ached. Suddenly he heard forthcoming paces. It appeared to be that short old skeleton. Now without the flowers. Wearing old hat. He looked very unfriendly, even for a skeleton.

“You young idiot! You`ve destroyed a present for my Juanita!”

Hector hadn`t any desire to argue with this skeleton, whose flowers he destroyed. The musician gathered his last strength and stood up. His leg hurt. Holding back a painful scream, Hector rushed along the backstreet.

“Hey, chamaco, wait!”

_For heaven`s sake, why this dream doesn`t have an end_?

The fear and the pain were so hard that Hector didn`t even notice how he found himself near the water. He stood on the wooden decks. A small fire was burning in the near.

At this moment somebody touched him by his shoulder.

“What are you doing here in such funny suit, chamaco?”

It were skeletons again. These ones were wearing torn clothes. As if its owner just left their graves.

Instinctively Hector snatched a brand from the fire and cried: “Get away from me, you devils! Or I will burn you!”

The skeletons didn`t come closer, but also didn`t leave him alone. They still surrounded him and whispered to each other. Hector pulled the firebrand in front of himself, in every moment being ready to fight.

_You won`t make me harm, you monsters! I am father. My little baby waits me at home. If something happen to me, what will be with her_? _God won`t allow this_!

The old skeleton in hat elbowed his way through a crowd.

“Chicharron! Don`t come near him! The muchacho is loco!”

Ignoring the warning words, the skeleton went to Hector, and stopped right in front of the firebrand.

“Do you think, if you`re a newcomer, everything is allowed you, chamaco?” he asked severe.

“Let me go!” shouted Hector.

“Nobody holds you, idiot! You can go wherever you want”

“I want to my family, then!”

“If you mean a living family, it is impossible”, answered Chicharron quietly, “It is the Land of the Dead”

_What this dead man talking about? How can I be in the Land of the Dead? It all must be a dream_!

“You are skeletons!” snapped Hector.

“Si, you`re too”

“Qué?...”

Unintentionally Hector looked at his own hands. The fingers, the human hands were slowly turning into the skeleton`s. The flesh disappeared and the bones became visible.

Hector dropped the firebrand and screamed. The strange feeling came through all his body. He knelt. The musician touched his face with his palms. His new skeleton fingers felt his nose… at the last time. In a few moments it disappeared…

Curling up his new skeleton body Hector began to tremble. He had no doubts that he was going insane.

A strong hand rubbed his back.

“Come on, chamaco. Let`s see what`s wrong with your leg”, said Chicharron, “But, remember, I haven`t forgiven you the flowers yet”

_Few days later the police officers brought him his suitcase. Hector couldn`t find his songbook inside. At that time he thought, he had either forgot it in the hotel in the Land of the Living or had lost it somewhere under the lantern. The first option seemed better for him, because Ernesto would take care about the songbook, and would give it to little Coco_. _In memory of her Papa_ …


	4. The Unforgottens

Walking slowly along the hangars Hector passed by the lantern.

The station was abandoned long ago. The wind pushed ahead old papers. No flower kiosks, no skeletons. Only the station building with the round clock was still here. Also abandoned. The clock`s hands didn`t move.

Hector was filled with contradictious feelings. The most powerful one was the time pressure. Nobody needed this station anymore. Most of those skeletons were forgotten for a long time. More than 90 years passed, the things have changed. But not he. Outside he was the same. No wrinkles, no grey hairs. The time feeling got stronger, and it was scary.

Dante barked inquiring. It helped Hector to come to.

“You`re right, Dante. My memories could wait. All we need now is to find these children…. I just wish I know where”.

The weak scream came out the station building. Hector rushed to it.

The door was broken. Among the fragments of broken glass lied the plastic kitten.

“Ramona?” called Hector unsure, and stepped into the abandoned building`s twilight.

All around lied old rubbish. Hector heard the voices again. Somewhere from the ceiling. As he went upstairs, he finally saw the missing children. And not only them.

Teo and other stood next to an old stained-glass window. Three or four adult skeletons surrounded the children. Ramona cried in fear and hugged Felicity. Teo held a rusty crowbar in his hands. Erica and Guillermo were hiding behind his back.

“Go away!” cried Teo to the skeletons. “Don`t come any closer!”

“What`s going on?”

Hearing a new voice the unknown skeletons turned to Hector. One glance was enough for him to understand the situation. The skeletons` eyes were all red. Their old military uniforms were in rugs. The skeletons hissed and aimed their guns at Hector.

“Hector, por favor, go away! They are insane!” cried Felicity.

However Hector didn`t even move. Attentively he looked into the strangers` eyes.

“We don`t remember you”, he said very calmly.

One of them shot. Guillermo screamed. Happily wide of the mark. Hector winced, but made himself stay still.

“Lo siento, señores. Pero we don`t remember you”

“What`s he doing?” asked Erica in panic.

The red-eyed skeletons aimed again.

“I said we don`t remember you!”

His cry echoed. New shot. Ramona burst into tears and hid her face in Felicity`s dress. Felicity hugged her little friend.

The silence felt.

Suddenly little girl felt a large hand rubbed her shoulder.

“Hey, amiga, don`t cry! They won`t do you any harm”.

As Ramona turned around, she saw Hector. The leader was safe and sound.

“Hector! You`re safe!”

The girl threw her arms around his neck.

“Of course, I am, amiga!” he answer hugging her too, “I`m already dead. What`s wrong could happen to me?”

“A bullet in your skull, for example”, noticed Guillermo, “It`s a little bit hard to pluck it out. And painful”

“Where did they disappear, anyway?” asked Erica.

After the insane skeletons disappeared in red flash, the children still felt a fear, but didn`t want to show it.

“Honestly, I don`t know exactly. They appear unexpected and disappear the same way. It is their ghostly nature”

“Ghosts? In The Land of the Dead? How is it possible?” asked Felicity unsure.

“They aren`t ghosts in usual sense”, explained Hector, “In Shantytown we call them the Unforgottens. They died very long ago. Nobody remember their real stories. Pero the Livings still remember the fake legends about them. So they aren`t being forgotten, pero their true personality gone. Luckily, such things happen seldom”

“Pero… What have you done to send them away?” asked Guillermo.

“See, they are possessed by idea to find somebody who still remembers their personality. If you can persuade them you don`t know them, they usually go away”.

“What does mean ‘usually’?” Guillermo sounded frightened.

“It means we must go away immediately. Who knows maybe the Unforgottens will want to turn back… Common everybody, and don`t run away anymore”

These words were evidentially the last straw for Teo who kept silence all this time. He clenched his fists and looked at Hector angrily: “Oh, have you got the right to command us?”

“Teo!” said Felicity reproachfully, “He saved us…”

“What then?!”

There was a true anger in Teo`s voice.

“Escuchame, chamaco…” began Hector.

“DON`T! YOU! DARE! Don`t dare to call me ‘chamaco’! I am old enough to be tu padre!”

Teo threw the crowbar away. A large crack spread on the stained-glass window, and the one who caused it ran the staircase down.

As they left the station building, there was no signs of Teo outside.

“Very well”, said Hector ironically, “Dondé esta this chamaco who is old enough to be mi padre?”

“Hector, por favor, don`t be angry!” begged Felicity, “Teo is one of the oldest inhabitants in San-Chimilco. He has seen a lot. Not all from those things were too good”.

“We respect his experience, anyway!” agreed Erica.

“Honestly, I don`t see much sense in being angry now”, signed Hector, “Pero this place is dangerous. Believe me I know what I speak about. Only thing I care, where can be this experienced chamaco at this moment”.

“There is a bridge in the near”, said Guillermo, “It is above the railway track. Teo likes to stand on it and to throw the stones in the trains that pass by”.

In confirmation of his words a train with loud clatter passed by without stopping on the station.

“Guillermo, can you show it?” asked Hector.

Very soon they saw Teo who was walking on the platform along the railway track. Hearing Dante`s bark he turned around.

“Teo!” called Hector hoping this chamaco had already calmed himself down, “Lo siento, if I hurt you, pero…”

Hector`s hopes ruined as he saw Teo`s cold smirk.

“Oh, lo sientes? How touching, señor Rivera!” the boy breathed hard, “And you…”

Teo pointed his finger at his old friends.

“Have you found a new leader? I am very happy for you!”

“Teo, you see everything in wrong light!” protested Erica.

“Just listen”, began Guillermo.

“Keep your mouth close, Guillermo! I am not going to deal with this one from Shantytown!”

Two figures materialized behind Teo`s back. However, he was so furious that he didn`t noticed it.

The children looked at him frightened.

“Teo, there are…” Hector tried to warn him.

“And you – shup up!” cried Teo while the Unforgottens got closer to him, “What has happened is your fault, not mine!”

“Teo, behind you!” cried Hector.

Teo looked around. And found himself at gun point.

“No!”

Hector rushed toward them three. Teo uttered a short scream, stumbled, and fell direct on the railway track.

One of the Unforgottens smirked and aimed at Hector. The young skeleton stopped looking direct into his persecutor`s red eyes.

“Remember me”, whispered the Unforgotten and shot.

The bullet hit in the very near of Hector`s legs. The Unforgotten disappeared.

_A short flashback. Seventy years ago. He had seen those two before_ …

Hector shook his head and came to the edge of the platform.

“Teo, how are you?”

Teo lied across the track.

“I think…. Something is with my leg”

“Don`t worry. We will get you out”

Suddenly Hector heard a familiar noise. A train was arriving again.

“Teo, quickly! Give me your hand!”

Hector knelt and gave his hand to Teo. The train`s sound became closer and closer.

Teo tried to take the leader`s hand, but just moaned. His hurt leg caused pain.

The children reached the platform`s edge too.

“Stay here”, commended Hector, “You should help me”.

With these words Hector jumped on the track.

“Hector, no!” cried Felicity.

Hector didn`t react on this. He was busy to help Teo to stand up.

“Pull him up!” commanded Hector to the children, “Quickly!”

The train clattered.

In a minute it passed the abandoned station by. No train made a stop here for a half century. Something was crunching and breaking under its wheels. It was the forgotten past.


	5. Back in Shantytown

Hector, Teo and other sat on the platform watching the train passing by.

“It is so strange”, whispered Teo, “A train`s sound was the last thing I heard before my death”.

“Had you fallen on the track?” wondered Hector.

“No. I was shoot in the train. A bullet hit in my forehead”, Teo showed the little spot on his skull`s forehead, “And my little brother was hurt into his right hand… We live together now. He is eighty-two years old…. By the way, gracias”.

The boy winced in pain and rubbed his leg. No trace of his earlier anger. He looked sad. The children surrounded their friend. Felicity sat down near him.

“I think, we must take care of you, chama…Teo”, said Hector.

The situation looked so familiar for the young skeleton.

Teo frowned and looked aside.

“Por favor, Hector”, he sniffed, “I know what you want to say. _I understand you_ and bla-bla-bla… I`ve heard it many times before…”

“No, Teo, I won`t say that I understand you”, Hector shook his skull, “Because it would be a lie”.

Teo starred at the leader surprised. The other children too.

“My own experience isn`t the same as yours. I guess there are the thing, which you know better than me. And I`m not going to teach or to command you”.

“Eh, that means you`re not angry?” exclaimed Erica unbelieving.

Hector nodded.

“After all I said to you?” asked Teo spontaneously.

He regret his words immediately and turned away from Hector.

“Escuchame, Teo”, said Hector seriously, “If you don`t want to see me as you leader, I`m not going to be the one. Pero puede ser….”

Now Teo listened very attentively. The other children exchanged their glances. Usually their experienced friend didn`t behave himself that way.

“Puede ser we can try again? I bet you for second chance, Teo”.

Teo hesitated.

“Common, Teo!” said Guillermo.

“Teo!” begged Ramona.

“I am…” before Teo could finish the phrase, Dante licked the boy`s cheekbone, “Hey! Well… I think nothing will happen, if we try to know each other better...”

Everybody`s joy was loud, but unfortunately short. It was ruined by Felicity who said: “I am very glad too, pero… Teo`s leg hurts. The way home is too long for him. What shall we do? Do you know something about first aid, Hector?”

“Honestly, not too much,” confessed Hector, “Pero I have a friend who knows. She lives five minutes from here”.

***

“Hey, Guillermo! Careful!”

“Lo siento, Hector, pero I can`t do it better!”

“Everything is all right,” said Teo and grasped tighter Hector`s shoulder.

They have already passed under the old arc with the pictures of winged skeletons on it. The girls with Dante were going at the head. Hector and Guillermo carried Teo together.

“Hector! What do these skeletons signify?” wondered Erica pointing at the pictures on the arc.

“Ah… These? The Aztec dead men drew them. I`ll tell you later”.

Many times Hector asked Chicharron and other the same question. However it seemed they didn`t know the answer. The pictures were always there.

They stepped on the wooden planking. After a long time Hector was again in his former home. These shacks, this fire light, this smell, the shadows of his past and present.

“Primo Hector!”

The skeleton with moustaches waved to Hector.

“Hola, Primo Alonso!” waved Hector back with his free hand.

“Haven`t see you for a long time, Hector. And who are they?”

Wondering Alonso pointed at the children. They stopped and looked confused. Their whole afterlife they hadn`t left their welfare district.

“I`ll explain you later, Alonso”.

Hector noticed that nobody sat around the old barrel. Evidentially today she didn`t play cards.

“Tell me, por favor, Alonso, where is Tia Estefania?”

“Ah, she? In her shack you`ll find her”.

***

The herbal smell filled all space in the shack. Erica and Ramona looked with interest at the glasses with colorful content.

“Be careful with it, muchachas”, warned Estefania sitting near the brazier and being busy with a pestle and a mortar, “Some of them are poisoned”

Saying it, she began to smear the fracture on Teo`s leg.

“What is it?” he asked suspiciously.

“Anaesthetic. And now sit still, I`ll apply you a compressive bandage”.

“You can trust her, Teo”, persuade him Hector, “She did the same for me many times, since more than ninety years”.

“Si, you needed this, Hector”, laughed Estefania, “If it were a prize for the injury`s number, it would be yours”.

“Really?” asked Ramona.

“Si, nene. My favorite story is Hector`s idea with a giant flying alebrije”.

“A giant flying alebrije?” repeated Guillermo unbelieving, “Pero this is so difficult to catch one”.

“Nevertheless, I did it”, said Hector with proud.

“Wow!” exclaimed Erica.

“Pero para qué?” wondered Felicity looking scared.

“Honestly, only reason was the Marigold Bridge… I thought, if it was impossible to cross it by myself, I could fly over it with a flying alebrije”.

“And?...” asked Erica, “Was your plan success?”

“Eh… Almost”, answered Hector reluctantly, “When the alebrije almost reached the other side of the Bridge, it turned into a usual pigeon. With its usual size. I fell down…”

“You were lucky to be caught by the police officers!” laughed Tia Estefania, “I would said your plan with flying alebrije was almost genial, although it didn`t work… Much better than your another plan, when you persuade a couple of well-remembered skeletons to transport your body in four suitcases… During centuries in Shantytown I hadn`t seen such craziness before!”

“Centuries?” asked Felicity, “Is it mean you are here for a very long time?”

“Long time, si”, answered Estefania, “I`m dead since 200 years. Or more. Haven`t count”

“Estefania was a famous healer in the Land of the Living”, explained Hector, “She is still well-remembered”.

“Why you live in Shantytown, then?” wondered Erica.

“Because nobody invites me in the Land of the Living, mi carina”, Estefania just finished to apply a bandage for Teo.

“This is unfair!” cried Erica, “If you helped people, why they act like this?...”

“Ah, don`t mind!” smirked the healer, “There are too many unfair things in the world. For example, why the one becomes rich and famous after killing a father of a little child?”

Everybody understood who was meant, while Hector frowned and pretend to be deaf. He caught Dante by the collar and dragged the dog away from the basket with unknown seeds.

“All Shantytown knows what has happened on the Court, Hector”, said Estefania.

“From the newspapers?” asked Hector with gloomy voice.

“Oh, in those newspapers skeletons write only delirio! Believe me, we have our own sources… By the way”, Estefania screwed up her eyes, “If I were Imelda Rivera, I had killed you, mi amigo”.

Erica hid her mouth with her palm trying not to laugh. Felicity and Guillermo sent her sever looks.

“Tia Estefania, I bet you, let`s change the subject”, Hector rolled up his eyes.

“How you wish, maestro”, smiled the healer, “In any case I can`t imagine you making some other decision. You`re always true on yourself, Hector, and this is great”.

“Did you called Hector ‘maestro’?” Teo lifted his eyebrow up, “Pero in the newspapers they wrote Hector hadn`t performed for a very long time”.

“Then he must play for us!” said Estefania resolute.

“What? No, Estefania, it`s impossible! I even haven`t my instrument”, protested Hector instinctively.

“We`ll improve it”.

With these words Estefania came to the door and cried: “Hey, Alonso, run to the Chich`s old shack and bring his old guitar!”

Hector couldn`t believe his invisible ears.

“Chich`s old guitar? Pero I thought Miguel lost it!”

“See, Hector, the police searched in de la Cruz`s Tower. Even amongst the police officers you can meet good persons who brings the stuff to its owners”.

“Pero, Estefania, I haven`t practiced too long…”

“Hector, por favor!” begged Ramona.

“Why not?” supported her Teo.

“Your friend Teo needs to wait half an hour, anyway”, said Estefania pointing at her patient.

As everybody including Alonso was inside the shack, Hector passed his fingers over the guitar`s strings. The young skeleton glanced at the brazier, at the fire. He recalled the lines that he wrote a long time ago. Young Imelda came to his mind. She sat by the fire with baby Coco in her hands. This picture was still in his mind as he began to sing:

Everywhere is silence,

All the world dives in the twilight.

I can see stars lighting up in nighty sky

You`ll forget it or will remember,

But one thing with us forever

This is flame that`s blazing always in the night

Let`s see, let`s feel how it`s protecting us

The flame keeps everything that`s precious

You still remember, flame, the people

That have already gone, but I still love….

Hector kept sing. However he already didn`t see neither the listening children not his old friends. He forgot about everything that happened today. And about his painful memories. The music took his mind away, in a better world where he was alive, with his living family. Young Imelda by his side and baby Coco, who peacefully felt asleep in his arms.

***

It was getting dusky, as they turned back in the park. Hector led Ramona by her hand and carried Chich`s guitar behind his back. Teo hobbled holing on Guillermo`s shoulder.

“Teo, hold better on me! Give Guillermo a rest”.

“Eh, Hector, who promised not to command?” answered Teo.

Guillermo sighed and smiled ironically.

“Guess, what I think?” said Erica, “I think this time the club session wasn`t so boring”.

“That`s it!” smiled Felicity.

Then she looked at Hector and immediately dropped her eyes confused.

“Hector, I thought, puede ser…” she began unsure, but closed her mouth.

“Si, Felicity?”

“I think, puede ser… you sing for us again? Someday…”

“Of course, Felicity! Since I have an instrument, it`s not a big deal for me… Puede ser we can…”

The loud sound of the voices didn`t let Hector finish his phrase.

On the place, where Hector had met with the children this morning, was a crowd of adult skeletons.


	6. The next Sunday

The skeletons looked very alarmed. One woman stood in the center of the crowd and told with the loudest voice. It was Doña Sol.

“Well, Victoria, after all of the facts we read in the newspapers, we should believe, he is the best Sunday leader for the poor children?”

“I`m already tired to repeat to you, your precious newspapers write the _delirio_!” protested Victoria.

Evidently, the skeletons heard the newcomers` steps. Everybody`s looks directed at Hector Rivera and the little skeletons. They stopped hesitating. Only exception was Ramona who ran toward a young skeleton woman.

“Mamita, mamita! We were on the abandoned station! The Unforgottens attacked us! Teo fell on the railway tracks, but Hector saved him. Then we came in Shantytown. Hector introduced us to his friend”.

Saying it, the girl happily jumped in her mother`s arms.

“Oh, it is very interesting”, said Doña Sol sarcastically.

In the silence, her voice sounded very meaningful. Other adult skeletons measured Hector with their angry eyes.

“I`ll explain everything!” exclaimed Hector, but it seemed nobody was going to listen.

“It is outrageous!” cried the skeleton with whiskers and caught Erica by her hand, “Common, mijita, stay away from this chamaco!”

“Pero Papa…”protested she.

“I can tell you what has exactly happened…” but Hector`s words stayed unheard again.

“Well, mi carina Victoria”, hissed Doña Sol catching Felicity`s hand, “Now poor children need their rest, but we haven`t yet finished our conversation!”

“We can do it immediately, Doña Sol,” said Victoria, “I think we must listen to Hector. See, everything is all right with the children…”

“It is!” supported her Teo.

“Si, I noticed it, hermanito”, smirked old skeleton pushing Guillermo away and giving Teo his own shoulder.

“The abandoned station was not Hector`s idea!” exclaimed Teo.

“It`s enough!” said Doña Sol, “Next time I`ll take care of Sunday club by myself”.

“NO!” cried the children all together.

“Si, mis niños! Next time you`ll know who you need to avoid! And you, Victoria, disappointed me very much!”

“Pero Doña Sol!” cried Hector, “Victoria did nothing wrong! How could you blame her?”

The woman sent him her disdainful look.

“You are right, señor Rivera. The only one who we should blame is you. Buenas tardes!”

The adult skeletons took away the resisting and shouting children.

“Don`t you dare to speak with me in such tone!” rebelled Teo, “I am adult enough to decide with whom I should deal with!”

“How could you, Papa?” cried Erica, “What if Hector doesn`t want to deal with us after it?!”

Following them with her eyes, Victoria looked very impressed. She wore a woolen tippet. Her afterlife marks didn`t change their color anymore.

Finally, Hector, Dante and Victoria were alone.

“How do you feel, Victoria?”

“Better, Hector”.

No ‘Papa Hector’. Right, she had her reasons. For the short time, he let her down twice.

Victoria turned to him and saw his expression. Cause she couldn`t read his mind, she understood it in her own way.

“Lo siento, lo siento! Don't be offended, _Papa_ Hector! I forget constantly… Lo siento mucho”.

“No, no, Victoria”, Hector shook his skull, “It`s me who needs to apologize. Because of me this Doña Luna dared to speak with you in such tone…”

To his surprise, Victoria smiled:

“Don`t mind her, Papa Hector. She speaks in such way with everybody. She is the chairperson of the Council after all”.

Hesitating for a while, Victoria asked: “Pero… what has happened indeed? I worried about you so much”.

On their walking home Hector told Victoria all about his short adventure. She heard very attentively. When he finished, she said:

“See, Papa Hector, Doña Sol can say what she wants, pero I think you did everything right”.

“Verdad, Victoria?”

“Si. Honestly, for the first time I saw these children leaving their Sunday leader so unwillingly”

“And by the way”, she added with a smile, “You have a guitar now. Will you play for me, He… Papa Hector?”

Hector`s face lit up.

“You shouldn`t ask, Victoria! Everything for you. And”, Hector hesitated for a while, but then continued resolute: “And if it`s awkward for you, you shouldn`t call me _Papa_ ”.

“Ah so?” said Victoria with surprise, “Not to call you _Papa_? I don`t sure if Mama Imelda likes it. And how I supposed to call you?”

“I`ll speak with Imelda about it, if you want”, persuaded her Hector, “You can call me how you want to”.

Victoria became thoughtful.

“I am not sure… You are my abuela`s husband in any case. I don`t dare to call you only by name every time, abuelito!...”

The last word was unintentional. She stopped to talk. She looked in Hector`s warm brown eyes. The look so tender and innocent. After seeing so much cruelty and suffer how could he kept this look? It seemed impossible, but it was so. _Mi abuelito_. The word was something between Papa and hermanito.

“I like it”, said Hector as if he read her mind, “You can call me _abuelito_ ”.

“Deal, abuelito!” laughed Victoria hugging and kissing him in his cheekbone. Immediately he hugged and kissed her back.

The night sky was starry like the night of his arrival in The Land of the Dead. However that time he hadn`t appreciated its beauty.

Reaching Riveras` house Hector and Victoria were busy with searching the known constellations and remembering their names.

***

The next Sunday afternoon Imelda and Hector decided to take a walk together. The weather was great again. The flowers` smell spread on the square with a church. Hector bought her the tulips (Imelda`s second favorite flower). This time Imelda looked very pleased. Her eyes were fill with tenderness. Everything was almost perfect. Almost. Hector couldn`t hold himself from noticing the respectable skeletons` reaction as he and his wife passed by. Some of them followed the Riveras with curious or choked looks. Others began to whisper to each other.

Seeing her husband distress Imelda said: “It is nothing, Hector. Their gossips shouldn`t disturb you”.

“Yeah, pero, Imelda, they gossip not only about me… If it was so, I wouldn`t care… These skeletons pointed their phalanges at you when you turn your back to them. They dare to tell about you all sorts of delirio… And moreover…”

“Hector…”

“…Other family members have to hear various nonsense about you, me, Ernesto…”

“Hector, stop it! Por favor”.

Hector became so nervous that Imelda stood right in front of him and put her hands upon his chest.

“Those gossips… I understand how painful it could be. Pero believe me, one day the skeletons will be fed up with it. I have already good experience with this…”

“Qué? What do you mean, Imelda?”

Hector starred at his wife waiting. After the short hesitation, she shook her shoulders and answered: “See, Hector. After you had gone and never turned back… Well. Me, mis hermanos, even Coco had to hear… different things from our neighbors about you and your friendship with Ernesto…”

“W-what?!” Hector breathed hard. Fighting with his emotions, he turned away from Imelda and clenched his fists.

“Dios mio, even Coco… For heaven sake, Imelda, why didn`t you tell it me before?!”

“Para qué?” asked Imelda very quietly, “You were ill. Besides, all those are in the past. Hector, mi amor, these gossips will become the past too. I don`t see much sense in suffering because of it”.

“After I had left, newspapers hadn`t written their dirty ‘sensations’”, protested Hector, “It`s so disgusting that even little children read it and believe it… You know, Imelda, Ernesto was so cared about his reputation in the Land of the Living… I find his worries very silly. What kind of reputation has a dead man in the Land of the Living?.. Si, people can tell bad things about him. Pero who cares? He isn`t there anymore… Honestly, scandals are good for the persons like Ernesto. People talk over them, which means people won`t forget… Pero for the certain persons the reputation really _is_ important thing. In the both Lands. For you, Imelda, this is very important. Our big family, shoe-business… It is your achievements. Not mine… You all shouldn`t have trouble because of my acts. It`s unfair!”.

Imelda told nothing. She understood that her husband needed a nearest person who would listen to him. Evidently, he couldn`t keep all these emotions in anymore.

“Imelda… I think, the dirty details from my life wouldn`t be so interesting for the press, if my decision on the Court had been different…”

Hector stopped to talk and starred into the distance. They were in a quiet alley. A beautiful flowering tree was swaying in the wind over their skulls. A couple of flowers fell on Hector`s hairs, but he didn`t notice it. Imelda removed them with careful hand`s movement. She waited him continuing, but he kept silence. Finally, Imelda decided to break it by herself:

“Tell me the truth, Hector. If you had known the consequences of your decision, would you changed it?”

Hector breathed the tree flowers` smell in. When he turned to his wife, he had a very serious expression. He considered everything.

“No, Imelda”.

After saying it, he dropped his skull and waited for Imelda`s reaction. There was a long pause. After it, he felt her hand on his skull. Imelda whisked away the fallen flowers again. Then she passed her hand over his hairs, his temple, and his cheekbone. With surprise, Hector saw a sad, but tender smile on her lips.

“Si, it doesn`t amazed me, mi corazon. You weren`t you, if you had decided in different way”.

Imelda made him bend to her. He was glad to obey. Their lips almost joined in a kiss.

“Señor Rivera!”

The voice belonged to the young tiny skeleton woman. Evidently, she saw Hector and called him. She didn`t noticed he wasn`t alone. Now she looked a little bit confused.

“Si, señora?”

Hector could swear that he had already seen her before. But where?

“What`s wrong, Laura?” asked Imelda.

“Ah, señora Rivera, lo siento mucho… I just think Ramona could be with señor Rivera… She talked about him so much all this week...”

At that moment Hector recognized her. It was the little Ramona`s mother.

Laura began to cry and hid her face behind her palms. Hector hurried to comfort her.

“Hey, don`t cry. Explain, por favor, what has happened to Ramona? Isn`t she with the other children?”

“He is right, Laura”, said Imelda putting her hand on Laura`s shoulder, “Try to calm down and tell us everything”.

Truly, Laura hadn`t much to tell about. This Sunday Doña Sol had find nobody in the park at their usual place for meeting. The children weren`t at home either. That made their families sound alarm.

“They couldn`t just disappear”, frowned Hector, “Maybe they went to their secret place again?”

Imelda and Laura starred at him.

“I mean the abandoned station. Last time I found them there”.

“Some skeletons have already gone to that station… Oh, Dios mio, there is so dangerous…”

Laura started to cry again. Hector and Imelda exchanged their glances. Both understood the poor woman`s feelings very well. Hector remembered how one day he had lost Coco. It had been so silly. He just had turned his back to her for a second, and the little girl had disappeared. He still recalled his fear as he had been running along the small town`s streets and crying her name like a fool. He also still recalled his happiness as he had seen Ernesto coming to him and leading Coco by the hand.

“I think we shouldn`t panic”, said Hector trying to sound confident and calm, “We will find Ramona. I`ll take care of it… Imelda…”

“I`ll stay with Laura”, nodded Imelda, “Common with, mi carina. I`ll ask Oskar and Felipe. They`ll help too”.

Hector left both women in the alley. He had to act as quick as he could. The voice inside prompted that the little girl couldn`t run away by herself. It seemed Teo found a new hobby. To run away from the Sunday leader. It could be funny, if it wasn`t so scary. Well, now he had to decide where he was going to search. Last time he had Dante who helped so much… Si, that was it! That meant he should return home and take the dog. He must be fast to be there before Imelda and Laura. Happily, this is not a big problem for the pair of long legs.

Hector stormed into the house. A door was slammed so hard that Rosita was near to drop a tray with a teapot and cookies, which she was going to bring in the patio.

“Hector, there…” began Oskar.

“No, no, Oskar, there is no time for talking”, said Hector hastily, “Where is Dante?”

“In the patio, pero….”

“Bueno. Then I`ll take him. By the way, I`ll need you and Felipe too. Common!”

“O, are we as useful as Dante?” laughed Felipe.

Hector looked at his brother-in-law surprised.

“No comprendes, Felipe. It isn`t funny. The children got lost. I must… We must find them!”

“No, we must not. Neither must you”, answered Felipe tranquilly.

Hector starred at Felipe. What was going on? Why did he act that way?

“Por qué?”

In that moment he heard a neigh in the patio.

“Because they have already found _you_ , Hector”, smirked Felipe.

Erica`s horse lied peacefully under the sunlight. Laying near the alebrije, Dante stretched himself. Ramona was scratching the dog`s belly. She jumped up immediately as Hector entered.

“Hector! We were waiting for you”.

A second later Ramona was in Hector`s arms.

“Ramona!” said Hector severe, “How could you run away without saying a word? Your Mama is worried”.

“Don`t blame her, Hector. It wasn` t her idea”, said Guillermo finishing a plate with Rosita`s cookies up, “We discussed everything and decided that we should go to you all together. Otherwise the adult skeletons won`t hear us”.

Before Hector could answer, Teo stood up. He leant on a clutch. Evidentially it wasn`t too easy for him to overcome the distance between the park and Riveras` house.

“See, Hector”, said Teo, “Sunday club was a real torture for us. Now we decided that we must put an end on it”.

“And you ran away?” Hector lifted his eyebrow.

“No, we didn`t run away. We came to you with a special purpose…”

“Teo!” Erica didn`t resist, “Sometimes you sound so long and pompous! Hector, we want you to be our permanent leader”.

“I was about to say it by myself”, muttered Teo unpleased.

“Wait-wait”, interrupted them Hector, “Pero I thought you wanted to see nobody as your leader, didn`t you?”

“Well, we need to call you somehow”, said Guillermo.

“Anyway, you promised to play for us again”, reminded Feicity, “And we thought… what if… what if you teach us too?”

“AH, HERE YOU ARE!”

Unexpected to everybody another three skeletons entered the patio: Doña Sol, Imelda and Laura.

“Ramona!” exclaimed the mother.

“She is all right”, said Hector handing the girl to her mother.

“I am happy to hear it”, noticed Doña Sol very calmly, “Now we can continue our Sunday conversations. Sorry for disturbing, Imelda, we go away. Follow me, niños”.

“No!” cried Ramona trying to get free from her mother`s arms.

“No, we won`t, Tia Sol”, said Felicity very resolute.

The chairperson starred at her very severe. The girl blushed, but didn`t move.

“We haven`t yet received his answer”, Teo folded his hands on his chest.

With uncomprehending expression, the chairperson looked at Imelda who just shook her shoulders.

“Doña Sol, I think, Teo means their purpose to me”, explained Hector.

“Eh? Which purpose?”

“To become their permanent leader”.

Doña Sol made round eyes.

“What? You as permanent leader? It is absolutely intolerable, mi carino señor Rivera!”

“If the chairperson is against it, I purpose to vote”, said Erica, “Who votes for Hector as our leader?”

All children raised their hands. Doña Sol observed them sarcastically. Until Laura raised her hand too.

“Laura? Are you well?” wondered the chairperson.

“Pero why not?” Laura shook her shoulders.

“Well, if it is a common decision, I don`t object”, smiled Hector, “I agree”.

“Imelda, this is sheer folly!” cried Doña Sol, “Say to your young husband he makes a terrible mistake!”

“I see no reasons to do it, mi carina Doña Sol”, answered Imelda in a very polite tone, “My husband is adult enough to take responsibility for his decision by himself”.

“I am the chairperson!” said Doña Sol angrily.

“And this is my house”, said Imelda calmly.

“Well”, whispered the chairperson, “Well… We will see what will say your padre”, she looked at Erica, “And your hermano”, she glanced at Teo, “And you…”

She measured Hector with her furious look. She wanted to to say something, but the young skeleton was quicker than she was.

“You shouldn`t worry, Doña Sol”, he said, “I`m capable to take the responsibility over the children. And if I make something wrong, it is your right to stop my leadership”.

Hector said the last phrase to take the strain a little bit off. However, it seemed the chairperson didn`t appreciate his reconciling tone too much.

“Bueno. Muy bueno, señor Rivera”.

She turned over her hills and with the words “Hasta la vista, Imelda!” left Riveras` house.

Rosita appeared with the tray.

“Has Doña Sol already gone?” she asked, “What`s a pity! Puede ser anybody else want a tea?”

“I wouldn`t refuse”, smiled Laura.

“Me too!” added Guillermo.

The rest of the Sunday passed cheerful and under the accompaniment of guitar. And nobody cares about the dirty details from the former musician`s life.


End file.
